Chapter 575
Lin Yufen: Stop wasting chapters, make excuses!
……
……
Having weathered the storm, Gu Qing touched her forehead as she left the office; she was sweating profusely.
He had spent five years as a trainee in South Korea and had seen people who were bad at dancing, but he had never seen anyone who could dance with their limbs divided into four separate kingdoms.
"Little Ears, you..."
"I danced terribly, didn't I..."
Chen Duling lightly nibbled at her lower lip with her rabbit teeth, her head hanging low in dejection.
"Well... it's alright. After all, I'm a beginner. With practice, I'll be able to learn it eventually."
Gu Qing offered a comforting remark against his conscience, even feeling guilty about his words.
He quickly changed the subject, "By the way, Little Ear, did you and Auntie eat before you came?"
"I...I've already eaten."
Chen Duling said softly, "I ate something simple on the plane."
"You've had breakfast, haven't you? You've gotten so thin."
Gu Qing was both amused and exasperated, and looked her up and down.
Those slender arms, that thin frame, looked like they could be blown away by a gust of wind.
"Come on, let me treat you and your aunt to something to eat."
"Gu..."
The elderly mother was just about to speak.
"Little brother, there's no need to go to so much trouble. My mom and I will just go back to the hotel and order something to eat."
Chen Duling was afraid of troubling Gu Qing, and at the same time, she was also worried that her elderly mother might say something inappropriate while eating.
"I haven't eaten lunch yet."
Gu Qing rubbed his stomach in distress. He had only eaten two bites of leafy greens at noon and was surrounded by a bunch of chattering chili peppers, so he hadn't been able to eat in peace.
"Let's go then, I'm a little hungry too."
Chen Duling immediately changed her tune, her change of expression faster than flipping through a book.
The elderly mother: "..."
A daughter is like a bird that flies away when she grows up! A daughter is like a bird that flies away when she grows up!
……
"Dudu, you go eat with Mr. Gu. Mom has been on a plane all morning and is feeling a bit airsick. I want to go back to the hotel to rest for a while."
The woman still intended to create a comfortable space for her daughter to be alone and did not want to be a third wheel.
After she finished speaking, she gave Chen Duling a wink—a look that clearly said, "This is all the help Mom can give you."
"Auntie, I'll arrange for my assistant to take you back to your hotel."
Zhao Ya followed up with a smile, her tone gentle and natural.
She waved to her assistant, who immediately ran over and took the bag from the woman's hand.
The two vehicles drove off in opposite directions.
Gu Qing, Chen Duling, and Zhao Ya got into a car and headed to the restaurant they had booked.
As the car entered the main road, the cityscape outside the window slowly receded, and sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on the seats.
"Little Ears, just let Auntie call me by my name. Calling me Mr. Gu is too strange."
Gu Qing couldn't help but say.
“Brother, that’s just how my mom is. She told me that being polite to people is never a bad thing.”
Chen Duling placed her hands on her lap, appearing very reserved.
"Chen Duling, something's really wrong with you. What do you mean by starting to call me 'little brother'?"
Gu Qing gave her a strange look, then moved a little closer to the inner window to create some distance.
"Was I sitting too close, making you uncomfortable?"
"what?"
Chen Duling opened her mouth slightly, taken aback.
Her eyes widened, her pretty face slightly turned as she looked at Gu Qing, a hint of panic in her eyes. She moved a little closer to the seat and waved her hand in explanation:
"Little brother, no, how could that be? I'm not feeling unwell."
"So it seems I'm not feeling well?"
Gu Qing stretched out his slender palm and placed it on Chen Duling's petite cheek.
His hands were large, almost able to envelop his delicate, small face. His palms were dry and warm. He gently pushed the other side away, saying, "Go, sit outside for a bit. Don't get too close to me."
"Go mend the nest..."
Chen Duling tilted her head and pressed hard, her fair cheeks, pressed against the warm, dry palms, turned slightly red. Her small mouth pouted as she was squeezed, and her tone became indistinct.
Her slender arms reached towards Gu Qing, aimlessly waving in the air.
Her hair was a little messy from being rubbed, with a few stray strands falling across her forehead, making her small, delicate face look even more adorable.
"Dudu, you can call her whatever you want."
Sitting in the passenger seat, Zhao Ya looked at the two's sweet and innocent interaction through the rearview mirror, turned her head, and smiled back, "I felt awkward when I heard you call the boss 'little brother'."
"Is it okay? Is it really okay?"
Chen Duling grasped Gu Qing's wrists with both hands, pulled her palms down to reveal her small, pretty face, her bright eyes filled with nervous anticipation.
"Of course not! I just think 'little brother' sounds nice. From now on, you can call me 'little brother.' Anyway, a lot of people call me that."
Gu Qing tilted her head and refused outright.
The wrist that was being pulled and held was raised and the fingertips were used to gently pinch Chen Duling's cheeks, squeezing and releasing them, making her cheeks look like a swollen pufferfish.
"Xu Yi! *kiss* Xu Yi! *kiss*"
Every time Gu Qing pinched her, Chen Duling would repeat the action, her pink lips making a clear and amusing sound, like blowing air and popping bubbles.
Looking into Gu Qing's clear, smiling eyes, Chen Duling's heart, which had been battered by the comments, quickly recovered and became lively and joyful.
"If you ask me, romance should be like that of the male and female leads in a campus drama..."
Zhao Ya wore a warm, aunt-like smile as she admired the little moments of beauty reflected in the rearview mirror.
Having spent too long in such a filthy circle, suddenly seeing such a youthful scene felt like absorbing positive energy and almost returning from the underworld to the living world.
As Gu Qing's most trusted chief steward, Zhao Ya often shipped the two characters together.
Like their own little boss and Sister Zhao, they have a kind of bland, old-married-couple feel to them.
The two interacted intimately and naturally, in a carefree manner, hitting and teasing each other whenever they wanted, their tacit understanding so deep that they could understand each other's thoughts with just a glance.
That was the result of collaborating on three films.
In contrast to Liu Shishi, Zhao Ya was drawn to the "fragile" nature of their relationship.
She always felt that Teacher Shishi had a heartbreaking sense of "humility" when facing her boss.
Every word, action, and gesture was handled with utmost care, as if holding a fragile object, afraid of dropping, bumping, or getting it dirty.
Despite being so famous, she always seems to be in a subordinate position in relationships.
There is a sense of women deeply influenced by dogmatic traditions during the Ming and Qing dynasties—following their husbands' lead and enduring beatings and scoldings.
What impressed Zhao Ya was that Gu Qing didn't take this attitude for granted, but instead often cared for and encouraged Liu Shishi, and was willing to listen to her advice very seriously.
In particular, the scene on set not long ago is still vivid in my mind.
A top celebrity who is the center of attention in the public eye, enjoying flowers and applause, with everyone praising his acting skills.
You said he was bad at acting, and even offered to tell him how he should act.
This is not something everyone can accept.
Zhao Ya felt that they respected each other and lived in perfect harmony.
The two were so perfect together, like a couple from a misty Jiangnan landscape painting. One was a gentle and refined gentleman, the other a dignified and virtuous lady; standing together, they were a picture of beauty.
As for Da Tiantian, she is the kind of "spoiled wife literature" that Zhao Ya likes.
A naive and innocent rich girl, occasionally willful and arrogant, passionate and fiery, with a sense of being willing to risk everything for love.
Her affection was intense, undisguised, and like a raging fire.
As for Sister Tao at the end?
No need for further explanation, "Older men are great!"
Zhao Ya felt that if Sister Tao were 10 years younger, even if she combined Sister Zhao, Liu Shishi, and even Da Tiantian, they wouldn't be a match for her.
That mature woman's charm, that worldly wisdom gained through experience, that understated gentleness—
She is the best candidate for Empress, without a doubt!
Zhao Ya silently gave herself a score on her "CP ranking list" and then nodded in satisfaction.
……
The interactive Q&A session lasted for several minutes.
"I'm not playing anymore, it feels like calling back a soul."
Gu Qing smiled, lowered her hand, and leaned back in her seat, relaxing.
"Little Ears, what have you been up to lately? Are you still filming?"
"Ah."
Chen Duling rubbed her cheeks with her slender white fingertips, whether from being pinched red or from embarrassment, she lowered her eyes slightly and responded.
"How was it? Did the filming go smoothly?"
Gu Qing chatted casually to pass the time.
The scenery outside the window is receding, skyscrapers and bustling traffic, like a flowing painting.
"After the show airs, remember to message me and I'll help you advertise it."
Look at Sister Ma's new drama, I've already pushed it to second place on the platform.
"..."
Chen Duling didn't dare to say a word.
She was already prepared to request a refund and quit the performance, so how could she dare to ask Gu Qing to help with advertising?
Especially after hearing this,
This further strengthened Chen Duling's resolve not to let Gu Qing see that she had filmed that pirated version of "The Journey of Flower"!
What a shame!
It's not that I'm disgracing myself, it's that I'm disgracing Gu Qing.
What would Gu Qing think if he found out she filmed this kind of knock-off drama?
What will his fans think?
Chen Duling didn't even dare to think about the terrible impact the show would have after it aired.
"Are you having problems?"
Gu Qing was slightly taken aback, and gently nudged Chen Duling with her elbow.
"Is it because I asked you to come for the interview that it affected your filming?"
"How about I go and explain it to them for you?"
"No, no, no need! Xu Yi, please don't explain to them!"
Chen Duling looked up quickly, as if she had been electrocuted, and spoke rapidly.
"I don't plan to act anymore."
She was genuinely afraid that if Gu Qing made that call, the production crew would be able to record it in real time and edit it into dozens of clips to buy trending topics.
She had witnessed firsthand the depravity of those people.
"Not planning to act anymore? What do you mean?"
Gu Qing frowned slightly, puzzled.
"Xu Yi, it's like this..."
After hesitating for a moment, Chen Duling recounted what had happened.
She spoke slowly, as if carefully choosing each word.
The production team was accused of plagiarizing "The Journey of Flower," the director and producer changed their minds, and the scenes of the actor himself were cut...
After finishing speaking,
She seemed quite proud and elated, puffing out her chest and raising her chin slightly.
"Xu Yi, don't worry, I would never act in a drama like that!"
"At worst, I'll just pay the penalty for breach of contract! They want to use you for publicity? No way!!"
The voice just fell.
Chen Duling felt her head sink, and her proudly raised neck instantly turned into that of an ostrich.
"Are you crazy?!"
Gu Qing was both angry and amused after hearing this.
"You've already pocketed the money, and you're still paying them out of pocket? Do you really think the penalty for breach of contract is a small amount?" "I can afford it! I had my mom specifically review the contract before I signed it; at most, I'd have to pay double. I... oh dear!"
Before Chen Duling could finish her tough words, she received a sharp tap on the head.
Gu Qing tapped her forehead with his knuckles, neither too light nor too heavy, but with a clear and crisp sound.
She was in so much pain that she covered her forehead in distress.
"Auntie is really something. How could she agree to you doing this? Now I finally understand why it's so hard for family-run artists to become famous."
Gu Qing withdrew her hand, sighed, and said in a tone full of helplessness.
In my past life, there were countless artists who were cheated by family workshops.
Parents acting as agents isn't unprofessional; it's just that they "love" their children too much.
They love their child so much that they can't bear to see them suffer; they love their child so much that they'd rather lose money than let them be mistreated.
If someone thinks their child is the best, and doesn't offer good roles or good treatment, then they won't act.
But the entertainment industry isn't home; no one will respect you more because of your "backbone."
If you don't want to act, then don't act. There are plenty of other people who can make that money!
This is not just empty talk.
"Dudu, your breach of contract is going to spread throughout Hengdian. You're just a family business with no connections. How are you going to get roles in the future?"
Even Zhao Ya spoke earnestly, yet with a hint of helplessness:
"Believe it or not, if you do this, you'll either not be able to find any roles, or the production teams you do find will only be there to scam you out of your breach of contract fees."
"Do you think they're incapable of doing these things?"
"me……"
Chen Duling's pretty face turned a little pale, clearly she was a bit frightened.
As outsiders who entered the industry without signing with a company, how could they understand the entertainment industry's rejection of "outsiders" like them?
They trick you with contracts, they swindle you at dinner parties, they lure you to the film set and then breach the contract, they promise you a lower billing order...
If you, a small family workshop, make trouble with them and run around to fight lawsuits, do you still want to make movies?
An artist's golden age is so short; if they cause such a scene during their most crucial years, their career is basically over.
There are far too many examples like these.
"But, but they want to use me... plagiarizing Xu Yi's 'The Journey of Flower'... What if they want to use me for publicity and tie me to the show after it airs... I..."
Chen Duling was at a loss.
"Then let's cook it, what's the big deal?"
Gu Qing couldn't help but laugh.
Is this a very serious problem?
"Isn't...isn't this serious? This is plagiarism!"
Chen Duling was bewildered.
"Sister Xiaoya, you tell us."
Gu Qing rubbed her face, feeling both amused and exasperated.
"Dudu, do you know how many artists our team receives every day that we've never even met?"
On social media platforms, in variety shows, or in interviews, she confessed that her boss is her idol, that she likes Gu Qing, and that she likes his character.
Zhao Ya couldn't help but chuckle as she explained.
Her tone carried a calm, unsurprising quality:
"As soon as they finished speaking, the boss inexplicably became a trending topic that same day. Do you think we bought that trending topic?"
Chen Duling: "...I...I saw it trending on social media and thought it was because Xu Yi was too charming."
"I acknowledge that you have great charm. But I don't condone paying money to trend on social media just because you have great charm."
Gu Qing also shook her head, not knowing what to say.
"Little Ears, even those haters know to buy my articles to promote their idols. Have I ever sued them?"
"If outsiders can use my name to generate buzz, why can't you?"
Could our relationship be any worse than those other people's?
Seeing that Chen Duling was keeping her head down and not saying anything, Gu Qing assumed that she was still unable to get over the hurdle, so he gently patted her head.
"Even if you leave, given how malicious your production team is, wouldn't you try to capitalize on my popularity when the film is released?"
"They will too."
On the contrary, when you are around, they know about our relationship and might be more discreet when doing marketing.
You also have the right to refuse.
"Go ahead and act with peace of mind. At most, when you get your paycheck, treat me to dinner when you have some free time."
To be honest, it's just plagiarizing a drama called "The Journey of Flower," what's the big deal?
Even Gu Qing's current drama, "Three Lives Three Worlds," is a fantasy romance with a tragic love story, and it was even exposed for plagiarism of the original novel.
He's just copying himself.
Not to mention,
And then there's Director Guo, who's been wanting him to star in his new drama.
That was a famous "copycat" known throughout the country.
However, what's the point of punishment?
The original author has been suing for almost ten years, but it hasn't made much progress.
In the end, the authorities finally realized the importance of protecting intellectual property rights and issued an announcement.
This scared Guo Jingming so much that he issued an announcement in the afternoon and immediately posted an apology tweet and offered compensation that evening.
"Boss, there's no time like the present, let Dudu treat us today."
Zhao Ya joked, "I'm going to make her pay."
"Okay! Sister Xiaoya, tell me what you want to eat and I'll buy it for you!"
Chen Duling raised her pretty face and nodded vigorously.
"what about me?"
Gu Qing shrugged.
Chen Duling steeled her heart, mustered her courage, grabbed Gu Qing's hand, opened it up, pressed her phone into his palm, and gently closed his fingers.
"They're all yours!"
The sound was both light and crisp.
……
Afterwards, we arrived at a quiet restaurant.
The restaurant is small, hidden in a small alley, with an inconspicuous facade but a surprisingly spacious interior.
Wooden tables and chairs, warm lighting, several ink paintings hanging on the wall, a guzheng in the corner, and the aroma of food mixed with a faint sandalwood scent in the air.
Without the noise and disturbance of strangers, Gu Qing enjoyed her meal very much.
His movements as he picked up food were very natural. He would occasionally chat with Zhao Ya about work, and occasionally chat with Chen Duling about dance.
Chen Duling gradually relaxed and became less reserved, occasionally even taking the initiative to put food into Gu Qing's bowl.
"Eat this, it's delicious."
"You eat it yourself, don't give it to me."
What does "叨" mean?
Chen Duling was puzzled.
"It means 'Don't put food on my plate,' that's my hometown dialect."
After Gu Qing finished speaking, Chen Duling got excited:
"I'll give it to you, I'll give it to you!"
"Then you can be my shrimp."
"A horse shrimp? A shrimp with a horse's head? How come it's so amazing?"
Chen Duling was utterly shocked.
"Hahaha—Horse Head is indeed powerful."
Gu Qing was about to break down.
Simple conversations, simple interactions, and laughter that occasionally breaks the silence.
After returning to the hotel—
"Little Ears, take a nap first. Wake up at 3:00 PM and I'll take you to practice for a while."
Gu Qing glanced at the time—it was a little past 1 p.m., and there were still several hours before her evening flight.
His flight was at 8 p.m., so he could take a break to practice some basic skills with Chen Duling.
But when she arrived at the dance studio in the afternoon, Gu Qing realized that she had overestimated herself.
Let alone practicing basic dance moves, Chen Duling couldn't even stretch.
She has very poor flexibility and her limbs are too thin.
He is 1 meters tall and weighs just over 67 kilograms.
Aside from her slightly plump, oval-shaped face with a hint of rosy cheeks, her limbs and collarbones appear as if her skin is glued to her bones, with almost no excess fat.
Gu Qing was even afraid that if he took her for a few jumps, she would fall apart.
Those slender arms and thin frame looked like they couldn't withstand any hardship.
Before she could even stretch her legs a little, Chen Duling's face turned red, she was panting heavily, sweating profusely, and her strength was already exhausted.
He was breathing heavily, like a bellows, and his bangs were soaked with sweat and stuck to his forehead.
Gu Qing put her hands on her hips and let out a heavy sigh.
Chen Duling slumped to the floor, her slender white fingertips covering her face in shame.
Gu Qing felt that her "beheading" was not far off.
"Alright, Little Ears, why don't you stretch your legs and loosen up your limbs first? Let's practice for a month first, and then we can talk about dance later."
He could only let Chen Duling perform freely, while he used his hard-won free time to practice dancing more.
He walked to the mirror and began to warm up.
Leg presses, stretches, shoulder rotations... the movements are standard and fluid, and the initial awkwardness gradually turns into proficiency.
Gu Qing enjoyed the feeling of improving and maintaining her skills.
Chen Duling, who was exhausted, was sitting on the wooden floor against the wall, hugging her legs and resting her chin on her knees.
She looked at Gu Qing's reflection in the mirror.
She has a tall and slender figure, and dances with grace and confidence.
Strands of hair in his bangs and the long wolf tail at the back clung to his sweat-dampened forehead.
Every movement he makes is powerful, yet beautiful.
She really wanted to take a picture with her phone.
Xu Yi looks so good!
For the first time, Chen Duling wondered how someone could seem to glow when they danced!
She hugged her knees and watched quietly.
……
After dancing for two hours, Gu Qing returned to the hotel to wash up and then said goodbye to Chen Duling.
"Post a dance video every seven days, and I'll comment on your progress."
He set the "assignment" in a tone that left no room for argument.
"it is good……"
Chen Duling nodded obediently, like a primary school student accepting an assignment from a teacher.
The thought of being able to openly chat with Gu Qing every seven days gave her a new glow.
Gu Qing took a car to the airport and rushed back to the film crew.
On the plane, he opened his phone and glanced at the script for the second incarnation of "Three Lives Three Worlds"—the Heavenly Prince Ye Hua versus the mortal Su Su.
This is also the most heart-wrenching part of the story in "Three Lives Three Worlds": Bai Qian undergoes a tribulation and transforms into the mortal Su Su. She saves the injured Ye Hua (who goes by the alias Little Black Snake) at Junji Mountain, and the two fall in love and get married.
But then Su Su was taken to the Heavenly Palace, where she was framed by Su Jin and had her eyes gouged out. In despair, she jumped off the Execution Platform!
This is also the highest-rated segment in the original TV series.
On the plane, Gu Qing was pondering how to revise the final part of the plot.
To know,
In the TV series based on the original novel, Ye Hua is portrayed as a cowardly, ungrateful scoundrel who even gouges out Su Su's eyes.
That kind of "I'm hurting you for your own good" logic would probably be trending on social media today.
It was also met with a lot of controversy back then.
Gu Qing decided that since they were going to torture the female lead, they shouldn't just torture her too, they could torture him as well!
He picked up a pen and began circling and marking the parts of the script that needed revision.
At the same time,
In order to quickly warm up the relationship between Gu Qing and Da Mimi in the second life and let them experience the pain of separation and death in the later stages, Lin Yufen in the crew began to use her best skills.
"Stop talking nonsense, take off your clothes and start the wedding!"
……
...(End of this chapter)